Bread & Butter: from denim to urban

By

Bruno Joly

Published
Nov 4, 2012

The list is now out — unlike last year when the Berlin trade show Bread&Butter waited until November 11, 11:00 am to reveal its provisional list of participants. The news is no doubt meant to reassure exhibitors already signed up and those still on the fence. G-STar, Superdry, Scotch&Soda and Carhartt figure prominently among the initial exhibitors.

And if there is yet no talk of certain denim heavyweights — and there might not be any at all — the trade show of an urban, street fashion and denim pedigree reflects the evolution of a market it has managed to capture at the advent of the 21st century. To mark the moment, the event is renaming some halls, starting with its central nervous system in the the Tempelhof airport.

"The Denim Base will change names and be based on a more urban concept," said Danielle de Bie, head of communications for Bread&Butter, which will open Tuesday, January 15, 2013. In an atmosphere invoking New York Soho, the largest booths will be located on the hall's perimeter, yielding up the central space to smaller brands.

According to our information, the arrival of Lacoste shoes in the hall is a sign of the denim market’s new direction. The giant American brands have left the trade show, as have many Italians, headlined by the Sixty Group, currently faced with financial difficulties.

The show has also decided to drop an entire hall normally used for the Sport & Street section, which will now have one less hall at its disposal. Not everyone will be happy with the revamp of the Style Society and Fashion Now sections. And The L.O.C.K., normally the showcase for traditional, vintage-style labels, will now host Japanese brands. Stay tuned for all other details. French brands already signed up for Bread&Butter include Eleven Paris, Heschung, Faguo, Aigle, Le Chameau, Kookaï and Axara.